Automatic lateral-stabilizing mechanism for aeroplanes.



1 AUTOMATIC LATERAL STABILIZING MECHANISM FOR) ABBOPLANES.

I APPLIVOATIOK TILED 1:23.25, 1910. nzmnw'nn 11 11. 15, 1911. 1,009,384.

Patented Nov. 21, 1911.

I awuwvl o a 2 8HEETS-BHEET 1 F. A. CRAIG.

AUTOMATIC LATERAL STABILIZING MECHANISM FOB. AEB0PLANES1 APPLICATION FILED PEB.25, 1910.- RENEWED APR. 15, 1911. 1,009,334, Patented Nov. 21, 1911.

2 BHEETSSHEET 2.

rmcrs A. cane, or 'csmcmns, rnunmvama' j nu'romnc tarnaai srnnim me ntensifier: BOB

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,.FRANcIs A. CRAIG,cltizen of the United States, residing at Carmichaels, in the county, of Greene and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Lateral-Stabilizing Mechanism for Aeroplanes, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention comp'rehends certain new and useful improvements in flying machines of the heavier than air type, and relates particularly to an automatic lateral stabilizing device for aeroplanes.

The invention has for its primary object an improved lateral stabilizing device which will possess to a considerable degree the characteristic of simplicity. in that the parts are few in number, and-add comparatively little of weight or mechanical complication to the aeroplane, and the characteristic of sensitiveness in that the automatic devices are'ac ed upon directly-by the disturbing inwill more fully appear as the description.

proceeds, the invention. consists in certain constructions, arrangements and combinations of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

- For a full understandingof the invention, reference is to behad to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an aeroplane embodying the improvements of my invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the aeroplane; Fig. 4 is an end view; and, Fig. 5 1s a detail perspective view of an actuating lever hereinafter specifically referred to.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indi- Specifleation of Letters Patent.

cated in all the views of the the same reference characters.

The aeroplane illustrated in the drawings for ,the purpose of; disclosing. one emhodiment of In invention, is of the biplane type, although t is to be understood that the invention is clearly applicable to the mono- .plane type-by merely omitting the duplica- (V PatentedgNov. 21, 19:11 Application fled February 25,1910, Serial n. 545,979. Renewed 4pm 18, 1011. Serial Io. 021,306. 4

tion of some of the parts, as will be evident to those skilled inthe art to which thisinvention appertains. The. aeroplane in the present instance comprises an upper plane c1 and alower plane2 which are braced and secured together spaced relation-to each other in any desired way, the said planes being transversely elongated"as is usual in the type of machine in which the invention.

is shown and embodied.

3 designates the u per and lower stabilizing planes at one si e of the machine, and 4 designates the corresponding planes at the opposite side of the machine, the said planes being arranged in pairs, upper and lower, as above stated, and each plane being secured for movement about a horizontal axis to a shaft 5, the 'said shafts being journaled to rotate about their longitudinalaxes and extending longitudinally, as shown, in bearings 6 at the ends of the upper and lower planes 1 and 2. Each shaft is provided at one end with a sprocket wheel 7. ,Relatively short lengths-of chains 8 extend partially around the respective sprocket wheels,

said chains being of a length to secure the requisite amount of movement of the stabilizing planes, and the chains are connected to gether at their ends by cables 9,10, 9 and 10, said cables being provided at any desired number of or any other'tensionin and adjusting devices. The several chams 8 with their connecting cable's practically constitute an actuatin belt or band which may be of any .construction other than that above specifically described, so long as it is capable.

desire of simultaneously moving the lateral stabilizing planes, and one portion of this belt, which the resentinstance is the lower stretch 10 of t e connecting cables, is connected to a crank 11 secured to or formed on the lower end ofa vertically disposed shaft or-spindle 11, said spindle being mounted for rotation about a vertical axis and being provided at its upper end with a handle points with turn buckles naled in any desired way, as a standard or diminished, to the horizontalcross bar of' 12, referably extendingl substantially per pen icularly thereto. T e shaft 11 1s ouror bracket 13. I

' 14 designates tensioning devices which in the presentembodiment of the inventlon are composed of contractile springs secured at one end to the handle 12 and extend ng in opposite directions therefrom and secured at their opposite ends by some ad ustable means so that their tension may be increased the standard 13.

In describing the practical operation of my improved automatic lateral stabilizing devices, let it be assumed that theaeroplane is flying straight ahead in calm air. Under these conditionsall of the planes 3. will define dihedral angles with the respective plane 1 and 2, the planes being inclined slightly upward, as clearly lllustrated n Fig. 1. The machine, with the parts 1n this position, will, of course,.be balanced laterally, as the velocity of movement at both ends of the machine is the same; and as the angle of incidence, the dihedral angle and the number of square feet of superficial area exposed are the same in both cases, the

stabilizing planes at both ends of the ma-.

chine will lift the same and the aeroplane will be balanced laterally. Now let it be assumed that the machine be turning and that the stabilizing planes 3 at the left hand end of the machine are at the outside, of the curve described in turning, the tendency of the aeroplane is to lift the highest on the outside end of the curve, because that side of the machine which is on the outside of the curve is traveling faster than the other side, and as the lift of an aeroplane is directly proportionate to its velocity, that part of the main planes which is at the outside of the curve and traveling relatively faster, lifts more than the other side and the lateral balance is disturbed. But at the same time the stabilizing planes 3 lift more than the complemental planes 4, because the former are also at the outside and traveling comparatively faster. Consequently, the balance between the two sets of stabilizing planes is disturbed and the planes 3 are forced upward, which results at the same time in pulling the planes 4 downward. It is evident that when the planes 3 are pushed upward, more air slips off of the ends of the planes and the higher they are pushed, the less they lift. As the planes 4 are pulled downward, less air slips from under them and the lower they are pulled the more they lift. Thus the stabilizing planes accurately and automatically act to establish new balance between themselves and liftthe whole machine into perfect lateral balance. Again, let it be supposed that the aeroplane is being driven straight ahead in calm air and now a arrows parallel thereto. 'of motion of the under-running cable 10 is sudden gust of wind strilies the left hand end The action in such event j of the machine. would be precisely the same as in turning, because the velocity of the air current would be added to the velocity of the forward movement of the machine. Consequently, the lefthand side would lift the most, the stabilizing planes 3 would be forced upward, the opposlte planes 4 would be forced downward, and the machine would be restored to perfect lateral balance, as before. Similarly, if the left hand end of the machine should pass over an ascending current of air, it would act to lift the left hand end higher than the right, but this disturbance would also force the stabilizing planes u ward and they would at once act to esta lish a lateral balance. Again, if the left hand end of the machine should be struck by a downward gust of wind, it would force the planes 3 downward and they would immedlately lift more in direct opposition to the disturbing element, and at the same time pull the planes 4 at the right end higher, causing said last named planes to lift less and reducing the tendency of the machine to turn around its center of lateral stability, thereby restoring the lateral balance. In short, any disturbance, acting from any direction, upon either end of the machine, will immediately cause the. stabilizing planes to assume positions which will restore the lateral balance of the machine.

In the foregoing explanation it has been assumed that all of the disturbance aflected the left hand end of the machine only, for convenience in explanation, but it is manifest that any disturbance affecting the right indicated by the lower dotted lines at the right hand end of Fig. 1, the direction of movement of the over-running cable 9 and the-under-running cable 10 is shown by the As the direction toward the left hand end of the machine, and as the crank 11 and the hand lever 12 both point in the same direction, the hand lever would also be pulled toward the left a hand end of the machine. Consequently, if the aeroplane should meet with a disturbance so violent that the device 'could not handle it by automatic action, it would only be necessary to push the hand lever toward the high end of the machine, so as to aid the automatic mechanism in restoring the lateral balance of the machine. Obviously also, the hand lever gives the operator a means of raising or depressing either end of the machine at will. It is, of course, to be understood that when the hand lever 12 is at its middle or what might be termed neu-' tral position, the torsional pull of. the

. springs 14: exactly balance, but when the lever 12 is pulled toward the left hand end of the machine, the spring at the right of the leveris lengthened, giving a gradual increasing tension, while the one at the left of the lever is shortened, giving less tension. Thus the tendency of the springs'is to produce a gradual increasing resistance to the movement of the stabilizing planesv incither direction in any osition, and'als'o to bring them back to their normal position as soon as the disturbing influence has been removed. The prmcipal function of the springs-is to steady the automatic devices,

. particularly in gusty winds and other like disturbances.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be seen that I have provided a durable and efiicient construction of lateral stabilizmarked by extreme simp icity, and automatic action, an action which may be eon v trolled at will by the operator, an action.

ing mechanism -for aeroplanes,1which is which will be sensitive and not dependent upon pendulums, weights or other mechanivcal complications for its operation, and one which will in itself addto the efiective'lifting surface of the machine.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is; l

1. In a flying machine, the combination with a main plane, of lateral stabilizing planes connected thereto, a belt arranged to move said planes simultaneously, a crank.

connected to one stretch of said belt, a

spindle to which said crank is connected, a standard inwhich said spindle is journaled, a hand lever connected to the spindle, and

oppositely acting contractile springs connected to the hand lever and to the standard. 2. In a flying machine, the combination with a main plane, of, lateral stabilizing planes connected thereto, a belt arranged to In testimony whereofI afiix my signa- 60 mm in presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS A. CRAIG. [L.'s.] Y

' Witnesses:

O. W. Rosana. CH SQJ. LINCOLN. 

